Politics & Current Affairs — February 14, 2011

Yemen in 3 Minutes

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

The Yemen expert gives a quick snapshot of the most important things you need to know about the country teetering on the brink of revolt.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A digital illustration of a human brain with blue veins and a glowing light at the top, set against a black background.

The Future

How Neuralink’s chief competitor is tapping into the brain without surgery

“Neurotech is not just about the brain,” says Synchron CTO Riki Banerjee, explaining how their tech can help with paralysis, brain diseases, and beyond.

An abstract illustration features a bell curve with red dots and a percentage labeled 49%. The background includes a monochrome portion of a face with wide-open eyes peeking below the curve.

Thinking

Everyday Philosophy: Bad at probability? That might be a blessing.

How black and white is your thinking?

Starts With A Bang

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh: one gift was made in a neutron star

When three wise men gifted baby Jesus with gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they had no idea one was made from colliding neutron stars.

Person disguised as a ghost with sunglasses, sitting at an outdoor table.

Neuropsych

Why we ghost

The psychology of people who cut off all communication—and how that affects their partners.

A person in a red shirt stands next to "Waves in an Impossible Sea," the 2024 science book by Matt Strassler. The background displays a blurred bookshelf.

Starts With A Bang

“Waves in an Impossible Sea”: The 2024 science book of the year

Matt Strassler’s journey into fundamental physics culminates in a brilliant explanation of the Higgs field. Enjoy this exclusive interview.

Up Next

Guest Thinkers

Beautiful, Dark, Twisted: George Condo at the New Museum

Kanye West‘s album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy came out too late to be nominated for the Grammy Awards being held tonight, so we’ll have to wait until next year […]